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Tag Archives: mixed media

At least this year I’ll try not to beat myself up about the goals I set every year and fail (every year). Like losing weight. Oh wait, that’s the only one I fail every year…

Last year my resolution was to lose weight (i lost a bit), plan a wedding and make a concerted effort to maintain more frequent contact with friends. Which I did successfully for the most part.

This year, although ambitious – it is to get my finances in order and save for furthering my studies. I have decided that my latent or more like hibernating artistic talent should and can be utilised in order to achieve this… the problem is the ‘Inspiration’ bit. A major misconception amongst ‘everybody’ – and I will generalise this… is that ‘artistic’ or ‘creative’ people can simply paint a masterpiece, compose a symphony or some such thing… at the drop of a hat.

NO – we can’t. I can only paint when the urge hits me… when I have this torrent of electrical inspiration grip me… when my fingers burn with desire and passion in order to wield that paint brush, knock the wind out my sails and leave me breathless – where the air I need is releasing my creativity. The problem is, that working full time – raising a six-year-old and between packing lunches, working out, staying in touch with old friends, keeping a husband happy, still having some sort of life and dealing with the daily stresses of work (and will I still have a job tomorrow)… the inspiration usually hits me when I’m getting ready to go to bed on a week night, or when I’m overtired on a weekend – at some random time, when I should actually be doing something else ‘important’ – like grocery shopping or paying bills, or when I wake up in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom…

So how do you ‘make’ inspiration happen. It’s not a pill you can pop or a drink you can slug, or a substance you can inhale or smoke (although I’m sure some would beg to differ). I find the best way to do it, is to take it… from other people or places or things. I have realised that there are some insufferably inspired people out there, who clearly have all the time in the world and will do whatever it takes to release that creative surge.

So thank you, I’m going to steal some of your ‘inspiration overflow’ – and utilise it for my own personal gain…hope you don’t mind.

BARBIE PART JEWELLERY - MARGAUX LANGE "Now although not my cup of tea, you have to admit it is an ingenious albeit macabre use for the dolls - but I suppose since every little girl plays with Barbie and wants to be like her, she can now have a part of her wherever she goes"

FLOWER PETAL ART - ELSA MORA "Now this is simply charming and should think must feel somewhat like tai chi for the fingers and mind - the lovely floral fragrances, the soft silken touch to the fingertips, the symmetrical design elements - and the reminder that nothing in life lasts forever"

TIRE ART (VARIOUS) -"Now this is so very masculine - it's dirty, labour intensive, time consuming - but I should imagine it is extremely rewarding. The final look to these sculptures is rugged, yet refined - very eye-catching and would definitely make a unique focal point to any interior or exterior space. Also, with tire rubber being one of the most toxic substances to dispose of - it is a wonderfully 'green' way re-using and recycling"

PENCIL ART - DALTON GHETTI -"Real pencils with miniature sculptures made of the actual graphite tip - how entirely bizarre. I think what happened is he really wanted to draw, but ran out of sketch paper? They are really exquisitely executed and rather dainty - and I could imagine they would make an interesting conversation point"

BOOK CARVING-BRIAN DETTMER -"This I saved for last, only because it truly is an abomination to destroy a book - but, a truly magnificent way of using a book that is out of date, or for example: the use of a book that's been thrown away. This is extremely intricate, delicate and visually awesome. This is something I would be too scared to attempt"

More importantly – as thrilled as I am to have discovered a perpetual fountain of inspiration… I would love to know how people think up some of these things.